Ever thought about what it takes to overcome a crushing setback? For Katie Ledecky, it was her grandmother’s steadfast support. Ledecky found support in a close connection following her defeat against Ariarne Titmus in the 200-meter freestyle in the Tokyo Olympics. Though it was an uncommon moment of defeat, her loss in the 200-meter helped pave the way for an incredible turnaround in the 1500 meters.
Despite her slower pace of 1:55.21 in 200m, compared to her prior marks, she finished fifth. Katie Ledecky expressed her thoughts in her book “JUST ADD WATER: MY SWIMMING LIFE“ about the race. She noted, “I was mad at myself after the race,“ This was a major setback because it was the first time she had lost a medal in an international competition.
Ledecky battled self-doubt in the warm-down pool. Her best event had been the 1500m freestyle. Even though she was thinking back to her prior triumphs and world records, the ticking clock made her realize that she needed to unwind and reset. However, Ledecky discovered tremendous strength from her grandmother’s encouragement as the 1500m freestyle final approached, culminating in a historic success. Ledecky resorted to her grandma during her mental turmoil. She felt their support and affection when she imagined them watching her on TV. She thought, “I thought about how invested they were in my swimming.” Her mental fog lifted and her energy was directed back into her connection.
With each stroke, Ledecky started reciting the names of her grandparents, Grandma Hagan and Grandma Berta, in her head. She used this genealogy chant as a source of strength to help her finish the run. Channeling the resilience of her grandmothers, she assured herself, “If my lungs burn, I’ll push through.“